In March of 2008, the American Kennel Club and the AKC Canine Health Foundation launched and exciting new program entitled Genome Barks. Podcasting is a relatively new type of media-sharing that has quickly caught on in most arenas. It allows for the download of digital media files, which can then either be listened to at your computer, or downloaded directly to your iPod (or other portable media player) for on-the-go listening.

The American Kennel Club and the AKC Canine Health Foundation realized that there were many people who were unable to attend their very popular Breeders Symposia that are held several times a year across the country, often at veterinary schools. In an effort to make canine health information more widely available to a larger audience, it was decided to record interviews with speakers and researchers in canine health.

While the information covered in the podcasts is not the same as the information at the conferences, it will keep listeners up to date on the latest developments in canine health. And not to worry if you think the information will be “over your head”; all of the interviews are designed with the lay person in mind, so everyone should be able to understand.

A new podcast is released every other week, with topics covering the entire gamut of canine health. Visit the Genome Barks on either the AKC website or the AKCCHF web site or simply search for “Genome Barks” in the iTunes store. When listening through iTunes, listeners are asked to leave feedback in the comments section to increase the Genome Barks ranking. Clubs are encouraged to include a link to the podcasts on their web sites.

Adam King, a breeder of Havanese, attends the North Carolina State School of Veterinary Medicine, and has spent the last four summers interning at the AKC Canine Health Foundation.